Material handling bin structure



Nov. 4, 1947. R. s. BAILEY J 2,430,203

MATERIAL HANDLING BIN STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 5, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l mvzm'on. ROBE SLBAILEY Y Nov. 4, 1947. 7

Filed Aug. 3,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3 i g /7 I I I a R 7 E iv j m 2O 0 1 V I I FIG.4- L f I I I Patented Nov. 4,1947

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The invention relates to the handling of flow L resistant materials and more particularly to pulverized or granular materials which, due to their physical or chemical properties or moisture content, tend to pack so they will not flow by gravity through an outlet in the bottom of a conventional hopper-type bin. Examples of such materials are potash, lime, manufactured fertilizers, flotation mill concentrates and flotation slimes being fed for retreatment.

The invention comprises a discharge pipe associated with a bin so that the upper end of the pipe will always be adjacent to the upper level of the material in the bin, and, preferably, including means for feeding material from the top of the material mass into the upper end of the pipe from where it may drop by gravity through the bottom of the bin.

The main objects of the invention are to facilitate the handling of material of the class described, to reduce manpower required for such handling, and to avoid interruptions or stoppages in the flow of material. These and other detail objects are attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a view, largely diagrammatic, of an installation embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a top view of the bin and associated mechanism drawn to an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the bin with associated mechanism shown partly in section and partly in elevation.

Figure 4 is a detail view and elevation of a portion of the automatic control for the mechanism.

Figures 5 and 6 are detail sectional views taken on the corresponding section lines of Figure 2.

The bin I is preferably of upright cylindrical form and is suitably supported at an elevation so that material may be discharged therefrom by gravity as desired as, for example, to a conveyor N. The invention is particularly adapted to large bins of this type having a diameter of fifty feet, for example, and a height of twenty feet, although it will be understood that the invention is not limited to use with bins of any particular size or capacity.

A framework 2 extends across the top of the bin and is supported from the side walls 3 thereof and mounts electrically driven motors as indicated at 4 and 5. Motor 4 drives a worm 6 in mesh with a horizontally disposed wheel I which is in axial alignment with the bin and is supported upon framework 2. An upright shaft 8 is slotted at 9 and is slidably keyed at ID to gear I and the shaft extends a substantial distance above and below gear 1. A plurality of arms I! and I2 extending laterally from the shaft are secured to shaft 8 so as to be driven by the shaft. Preferably arms ll and I2 are inclined upwardly from the shaft towards the bin sides and the connections between the arms and the shaft are of a pivotal nature to accommodate raisin and lowering of the outer ends of the arms relative to their inner ends. Tie rods I la, l2a and ring 8a may be positioned by a bolt 8b through a selected hole in shaft 8 and the angle of inclination of the arms may be varied in accordance with the flow characteristics of the material M in the bin,

A discharge pipe I3 surrounds shaft 8 and is of substantially larger diameter than the shaft and is secured thereto as by spiders l4 soas to rotate and move vertically with the shaft. Arms H and I2 are provided with tines l5 and vanes [6 respectively which will be supported by the material M in the bin. When the shaft and arms are rotated as indicated by the arrow A, Figure 2, tines l5 will break up and vanes l6 will feed the material towards the shaft. The material will flow over the upper end of pipe l3 and drop downwardly through the latter and out of the lower end of the same and preferably into a conduit ll telescopingly assembled with pipe l3 and leading to conveyor N. As the material is thus discharged and its level is lowered, arms II and I2, shaft 8 and pipe 13 will move downwardly as a unit maintaining the upper end of the pipe adjacent to the level of the material so that the upper portion of the material mass which is free from pressure and is being fed centripetally of the bin may flow by gravity through pipe l3 until the bin is emptied.

In View of the above description of the construction and operation of the structure, it will be apparent that the length of the discharge pipe should approximate or exceed the depth of the bin and that the length of shaft 8 should be approximately double the depth of the bin. If the bin is to be used for material which will not hardemit may be feasible to eliminate arms I! with tines l5, which serve to break up hardened or caked material, and only use arms l2 with vanes [6 which move the material towards the center of the bin.

The resistance of the material to tines It would tend to wear down and possibly to break off the latter occasionally and preferably the tines are made as separate units which may be readily replaced as indicated in Figure 6. Ordinarily the tines will penetrate the material a greater distance than the vanes and will break up any crusted material and the vanes, lying at a higher level and having a larger area in contact with the material, will not be likely to wear down or require replacement.

The downward movement of the arms H and i2, shaft 8 and pipe 13 may be governed by the lowering of the top surface of the material, assuming that the arms are supported solely by their riding over or through the top portion of the material. However, additional means for supporting the rotating parts is provided by the mechanism shown at the upper left hand corner of Figure 3, which comprises a reversible motor 5, the shaft of which carries worm 4| in mesh with a wheel 42 and operating a drum 43 on which a cable 44 is wound. This cable passes over pulley 45 and has a swivel connection to the upper end of shaft 8. The motor is geared to unwind cable 44 at a pre-determined speed, for example, one foot per hour, and thus control the downward movement of the rotating parts. If the cable is unwound faster than the material feeds through pipe l3 and if the consistency of the material is such that the arms sink through it, the resistance to the rotation of the teeth and blades through the material may increase to the point where the thrust of wheel I on worm 6 will move the shaft 20 of motor 4 to the right (Figure 4) against the action of spring 2| and this will open the switch S for the circuit which drives motor in a clockwise direction and close the, switch S for the circuit which drives motor 5 in the opposite direction, thus causing cable 44 to be wound on drum 43 until the parts imbedded in the material are raised so that the resistance to their rotary movement is substantially reduced, whereupon shaft 20 will move to the left, again reversing motor 5. This action may be repeated intermittently, throughout the operation of the device.

Material may be fed into the bin at the same disclosure may be used to advantage without necessarily including all of the features. For example, the structure may be operable with some materials without rotation of the discharge pipe although this facilitates its vertical movement through the material and conduit l1, particularly if a rubber seal as indicated at 24 is provided between the pipe and bottom wall of the bin. It may be found that the flow characteristics of some materials and the shape and proportions of some bins may be such that it will be unnecessary to agitate and feed the material to the upper end of the discharge pipe, in which case the rotation of the shaft and arms may be eliminated. It may be desirable under some conditions to substitute manual labor for feeding the material to the upper end of the pipe and for controlling the downward movement of the pipe. These and other variations in the structure may 4 be made without departing from the broad aspects of the invention and the exclusive use of all modifications of the structure coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination an upright cylindrical bin, a frame extending across the top of the bin, a motor-driven gear wheel disposed horizontally and rotatably mounted upon said frame, a shaft disposed axially of the bin and keyed to said gear so as to be rotated by the same and to be slidable vertically relative to the same, an upright discharge pipe surrounding and spaced from the shaft but secured thereto and corresponding in length to the depth of the bin and movable vertically through an opening in the bottom of the bin, arms radiating from said shaft adjacent to the upper end of the pipe and adapted to be supported by the material in the bin and provided with elements for feeding the upper portion of the material to the upper end of the pipe as the shaft, pipe and arms are rotated, the arms, shaft and pipe being lowered as the material in the bin flows into the upper end of the pipe and is discharged from the lower end of the same, a normally inoperative device for lifting the shaft and arms, and means actuated by resistance of the material to rotation of the arms to render said device operative temporarily and thereby reduce said resistance.

2. In combination, an upright cylindrical bin, a frame extending across the top of the bin, a shaft disposed axially of the bin and slidably mounted on said frame, means for rotating said shaft, an upright discharge pipe surrounding and spaced from the shaft and corresponding in length to the depth of the bin and movable vertically through an opening in the bottom of the bin, arms radiating from said shaft adjacent to the upper end of the pipe and adapted to be supported by the material in the bin and provided with elements for feeding the upper portion of the material to the upper end of the pipe when the shaft, pipe and arms are rotated, a normally inoperative device for lifting the shaft and arms, and means actuated by resistance of the material to rotation of the arms to render said device operative temporarily and thereby reduce said resistance. 7

ROBERT S. BAILEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 309,110 Thompson Dec. 9, 1884 670,582 Erisman Mar. 26, 1901 844,693 Seidel Feb. 19, 1907 1,007,954 Lamb Nov. 7, 1911 1,068,176 Scott July 22, 1913 1,075,193 Cole Oct. 7, 1913 1,186,188 Hely June 6, 1916 2,262,412 Weinig Nov. 11, 1941 

